Like most moms, I never feel there is enough time in the day to get everything done. We work, cook, clean, take care of our kids, husbands, households, bills, etc., sometimes all at the same time. Unfortunately, busy schedules rarely take our own needs and desires into account. I found myself pondering these things one day while sitting in my car on my lunch hour.
I was on my way to the bank and simply pulled over into a parking spot and parked my car. I thought to myself, “This is a rare opportunity for me to just have a few minutes of quiet time.” I turned off the engine, put my seat back a little, closed my eyes and … my phone rang. Annoyed, I answered my husband’s call with an edge to my voice. He was asking whether I had made it to the bank; what needed to be picked up for dinner; and what plans were in place for the evening. We argued a bit. My poor husband simply called at the wrong moment.
After getting off the phone, I leaned back again (angrily noting that now I only had a few minutes of my lunch left and still had to make it to the bank) and gazed up at the sky. There were three birds flying above, weaving in and out of each other’s flight lines. I imagined that if each were holding a ribbon, they would have made a beautiful braid.
Watching these braided birds brought me back to the present. It was a beautiful moment. For a few short minutes, they represented the three most important aspects of my life: family/work/self. We all fly around weaving in and out of our daily routines, but need to find time for ourselves. That is the only way to have balance and peace.
The birds flew off in three separate directions as I started my car to get to the bank – with a slight smile on my face.
